Review Blog

Sep 02 2016

Dragonfly Song by Wendy Orr

Allen and Unwin, 2016. ISBN 9781760290023
(Age: 12+) Recommended. Wendy Orr has woven her passion for the
mysteries of the Bronze Age centred around the Mediterranean islands
into a wonderful mythical fantasy that links known history and its
mythical beliefs and archaeological stories into a lyrical and
heart-wrenching narrative.
In this old and mythical world, gods have power that invoke worship,
sacrifice and honour; power that can sing and manipulate wild
animals, and upset the natural world and power that drives
communities to order their lives in fear and reverence in order to
fend off disaster. The central character Aissa is born with features
that defy the god-like need for perfection of her High Priestess
mother. She is cruelly damaged, disowned and discarded, and yet
survives. Her fate seems to defy the goddess that 'rules' the island
of her birth and yet she is hidden and loved, until another disaster
leaves her as the mute, cruelly targeted unlucky slave-girl called
'No-Name' that no-one values. The constant emotional attacks and the
ignoble role she plays in society are so cruel that it is easy to
believe that she has wronged the gods in some way. An unexpected
role to pay tribute to the Bull King from a neighbouring island
looms as a possible way for her to rise above her lowly and unlucky
position . . . or face death as a permanent escape from her misery.
The pain and suffering she experiences and the small glimpses of
hope that she clings to with incredible humility (despite the rise
of hidden goddess-inspired powers) are mixed with an immensely
strong resilience and spirit. The effect is awe-inspiring!
Orr has written this with deft mastery, mingling prose poetry style
sections with more standard narrative in a beautiful tapestry. It is
powerful and compelling reading, even though the mythology and magic
of these times is likely to be unknown to many young readers.
Fantasy lovers will engage with the unusual world, and those who
have a heart for the down-trodden and bullied in contemporary
culture will see the enormous strength of character of Aissa despite
her circumstances. This is definitely not like Orr's Nim's
Island stories or her teen drama Peeling the Onion,
but it is certainly to be recommended for those who might enjoy a
different kind of lyrical fantasy adventure.
Carolyn Hull